Qatar is located on a small peninsula on the
northeasterly coast of the larger Arabian Peninsula in the Persian Gulf. Although
its political territory is relatively small, Qatar is blessed with natural resources,
it is an oil rich nation and with population of slight over a million, this has Qataris
ranked to be having one of the world's highest GDP per capita (approx. USD80,000-00
per year). It was freed from British colonial control and obtained independence in
1971. In many ways, although Qatar is small as a nation, it has great influence around
the region as well as the Islamic world. On the international front, probably the
well well known trade name you can associated with Qatar is the Doha based Al
Jazeera News Network, which had CNN having
some headache to penetrate into the Muslim community across the globe. During the
Gulf War, Doha used to be the headquarters for Coalition forces and had maintained
quite a good rapport with the West. On the economic, tourism and social development,
Qatar Financial Centre (QFC) as well as the artificial island, Qatar Pearl which
spanning nearly four million square meters and the up & coming Lusail City are
probably some of the most known projects undertaken by the Qatar government.

And even after success of the 15h Asian Games, 2006(bitter on our end, as Malaysia lost final bid to
Qatar @$#%@&@&!!); Doha kicked off its official bid to host the 2016 Summer
Olympics in October 2007. But as Asian neighbor, we wish them the BEST of luck in
the bid.

I have not been to Qatar but some of my friends are undertaking many development
projects there. This introduction serves to give a viewer a rough idea why and who
had initiated the idea of a LEICA M6 special edition model. The ruling Al Thani royal
family in Qatar has a member who often caught the headlines in the west - Sheikh
Saud al-Thani who had been labeled as big time Art Collector and is directly connected
with construction of another mega project, a brand new Museum of Islamic Art in Doha.

One way or another, an idea of a photo competition was
initiated in 2002 with the theme of Sheikh Saud Bin. Mohammed Al-Thani Photography
Competition - Okay, I am not particularly sure if the Sheikh Saud al-Thani
and Sheikh Saud Al-Thani are the same person, but I left it as it is. In 2005,
the competition has changed its official name as a more specific Al-Thani Award for Photographyand... it coincided with news of Sheikh Saud Al-Thani
being placed under house arrestfor unknown cause.
LEICA M6 Al-Thani Photo Award Edition, 2003w/matching Summilux-M 1:1.4/50mm
which bears a Competition logo and engraving at the front lens data ring.

Anyway, it is better not to speculate as I am not a very
familiar with Arabian political scene nor local development on other issues. I have
only been told the photo contest was originally held for members within the Qatar
Photographic Society (QPS). The period
between 2002, the competition had changed its course and opened for all Qataris to
participate. From 2003 onwards, it had further extended its reach to other Arabian
Nations in the Gulf region as an annual international event. Each year, a theme was
selected, with Flora (2001); Architecture (2002); Landscape (2003) and so
on. The QATAR's Al-Thani Photography
Awardhas since become one of the major photo
events in the region. It must be highlighted that the Photography Competition was
originally being planned to be held for period of 15 consecutive years.

Originally, there were eight winners in each of categories, winners would take proud
possession of a Limited Edition of 15 LEICA M6 TTL, orange colored, bearing the signature
of Sheikh Saud. It was NOTknown*if the LEICA was still being given away as Prize Award
to winners. It was interesting to note that in the Al-Thani Photography LEICA AG
has been linked as a the organizer of the event, while QPS was mentioned as sponsor.
Next, it has listed with 15 Units*of the M6 special award edition but many of the references
read as 16 units. One of the winner was a foreigner, Richard Allenby Prattwho was based in Dubai and has posted his price winning possessionin 2003. *
This visual library has listed at least two issues
with 2003 and 2006, this may indicate there could be more units being released than
the original suggestive figures as the Photo Competition was being held in succession
for a number of years. The unit shown below was a good example, as it was the prize
award for AL-THANI Photography Competition in Year 2006.

NOTE: Although the official even had been renamed, the
top plate of the Award LEICA M6 still bear "Sheikh Saud Bin Mohd. Al-Thani"
with each calendar Year styled in very nice design layout. At the rear section, a
hand written facsimiled signature is engraved and on the right hand side, just below
the film advance lever, "Photography Competition Qatar" is engraved. The
Special Serial Number that engraved at the opposite of the Leica production number
has provided a clue in the issued quantity: this Edition issued for the 2006 Competition
clearly stated 16 units. The previous mentioned quantity of 15 units could be referring
to 2003 edition.

While I was studying these photos and
recalled the Al-Thani Photography Site where it had mentioned the Competition was
originally being planned to be held continuously for fifteen consecutive years -
could this series of award prized M6 TTL special edition bodies have been produced
in a single consignment in a total quantity for the whole lot and pre-engraved with
each calendar year ? Given a few more years, we should be able to find out if this
possibilities exist as LEICA M6 TTL models were officially phased out in 2003/4.
These may probably help to answer a few doubtful questions that linger in my mind.

TheLEICA M6 TTL Al-Thani Photo Award Edition
has a very attractive
appearance in its bright orange-yellow colour. Overall, it matches the silver chrome
body chassis very well and I cannot visualize how it will look like if ever the body
finishing chosen was in black. Although it was not entirely issued as a special edition
LEICA but due to rarity as well as in its very eye-appealing overall appearance,
it had slowly gained interest among Leica M6 collectors. The "rarity" element
here interprets as chances in an award winning photographer would dispose individual
awarding winning prize item for sale. A recent auction of this uniquely looking LEICA M6 TTL Sheikh Saud Bin Mohammed Al-Thani
Photography Award Winning Editionwhich was shown above in COMPLETE issued Kit has an
Auction start price with EURO 7,000-00 where the hammer price incl. premium was EURO
10,800-00*.

But I wish to use a small section to refer to this model as LEICA M6 TTL Al-Thani Photo Award Editionto reflect its
current evolved status and to avoid confusion amidst all the names and different
descriptions involved.